Jason Motte Bio

Graduated from Valley Central High School in Montgomery, N.Y., where he played baseball and earned All-State honors his junior and senior seasons... Played college baseball at Iona College (NY) and was ranked 10th in 2002 by Baseball America among New England Collegiate League catchers... Named recipient of Hilton Smith Reliever of the Year Legacy award for 2012 by Negro League Baseball Museum... Was the 2013 recipient of the Darryl Kile Award... Is active in promoting cancer awareness thru Jason Motte Foundation and "Strikeout Childhood Cancer" efforts... He and his wife, Caitlin, have one daughter, Margaret Morgan (1/7/13) and one son Sutter Lynn (8/12/16). They reside in Memphis, Tennessee.

2017

Signed by the Atlanta Braves on April 11... Began the season in Gwinnett (AAA) on 4/11 and made seven appearances before being promoted to Atlanta and appeared in his first game with the Braves at MIL (4/28)... Pitched on consecutive days nine times during the season including both games of a doubleheader vs. NYM (6/10) recording two outs (9 pitches) and one out (four pitches)... Was placed on the 10-day disabled list twice (7/14-8/4 & 9/1-15) with a back strain and right oblique strain... Held the opposition to a .179 BA (12-67) with runners on base and .184 (7-38) with runners in scoring position.

2016

Began the season on the 15-day disabled list with right shoulder strain and then made another disabled list stint with a right rotator cuff strain, limiting him to 30 appearances...Reinstated from the 15-day disabled list May 25 and made his Rockies debut that night in Boston, pitching one inning of relief while allowing one hit and recording two strikeouts in the 10-3 Colorado loss...Scored upon in 10 of his 30 games, including four consecutive appearances June 22-28...Struck out the side July 28 for the first time since Sept. 22, 2012 at Chicago-NL...Allowed a home run in three consecutive outings, June 22-27 … surrendered the walk-off home run June 22 at Yankee Stadium (Starlin Castro)..Placed on the 15-day disabled list a second time, July 27, with a right rotator cuff strain … was reinstated on Sept. 8 and made four scoreless appearances (3.0 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 2 SO) to finish his season...Did not allow a run in four September appearances after being reinstated from the disabled list.

2015

Tied for the Major League lead for relievers with a career-high eight wins, but went on the disabled list Aug. 24 with a right shoulder strain that kept him out for the remainder of the season. Won a career-high seven consecutive decisions from May 23 through his last appearance. Recorded 13-straight scoreless appearances from May 16-June 20 (10.2 IP). Held opponents to a .208 average (11-for-53) with runners in scoring position. Was placed on the 15-day disabled list Aug. 24 with a right shoulder strain, and missed the remainder of the season.

2014

Jason missed the first month of the season after recovering from Tommy John surgery...Made his season debut on May 21 and appeared in 29 games with the Cardinals, going 1-0 with a 4.68 ERA (13 ER/25.0 IP)...Struck out 17 batters and walked nine in 25.0 innings...Finished 10 games...Did not allow an earned run in 20 of his 29 appearances...Longest outing came on July 22 when he allowed one run in 2.0 innings against Tampa Bay.

2013

Pitched nine games in spring training, 1.0 inning each time. Earned a save in his last spring outing (3/21 at NYM).. Suffered a right elbow strain during his 3/21 outing which ultimately ended in ligament repair (Tommy John) surgery... Had surgery on his right elbow on 5/7, performed by team orthopedist, Dr. George Paletta and missed the entire sesaon.

2012

Tied for the National League lead with a career-high 42 saves (Kimbrel, ATL), the first Cardinals pitcher to lead or tie for league lead since Jason Isringhausen (47, in 2004). Became the first pitcher in Cardinals franchise history to record every save during the season. Ranked 9th among N.L.relievers with a career-high 86 strikeouts, 5th in WHIP (0.92), 8th with a .191 opp.BA, T11th in innings (72.0) and 13th in K/9 IP (10.75).Finished 2nd in the N.L. with 58 games finished. Led all of baseball with a .122 average against left-handed batters. Named National League Player of the Week (9/17-23), nailing down five saves in five appearances with 10 strikeouts in 4.2scoreless innings. Ended the season with nine consecutive scoreless appearances totaling 8.1 innings with eight saves in eight opportunities.Became 4th Cardinals pitcher(6th time overall)to save 40 or more games in a season and 5th to achieve 20 before the All Star Break. Had five saves of four outs or more and one of five outs (9/3 vs. NYM). Set career monthly highs with 9 saves and 19 K's in September. 2012 POSTSEASON: Made six appearances and earned three saves during the postseason (WC, 2 LCS games)...recorded a four out save in the Wild Card game at Atlanta stranding two runners in the 8th...picked up the win in Division Series Game 5 at Washington with 2.0 IP; allowed a run in the 8th,but had 1-2-3 9th inning to close out decisive Game 5 win ... earned a save in Game 1 of the League Championship Series at San Francisco....picked up a 2.0 inning save in LCS Game 3 - the first 2.0-inning save of his career.

2011

Set the Cardinals single-season record for most appearances by a righthander with a career-high 78...Set franchise record of 33 consecutive appearances (26.1 IP) without allowing an earned run, from 6/26-9/3...His nine saves from 8/28-9/28, were T3rd in NL and T5th in MLB over that span...Had 9th lowest ERA (1.93) in the majors after the All-Star Break. His 2.25 ERA for the season was 10th among NL relievers...Led team with 20 Holds and recorded 9 saves in 13 opportunities, the 2nd most saves for STL...All of his saves came after the All-Star break, earning his 1st save of season on 8/28 vs. PIT. He was one of eight players onthe team to garner saves in 2011...Ranked T6th in all of MLB with 56 inherited runners...Had a 21-game scoreless streak (career-high 18.2 IP) from 7/26 until he allowed an ER on 9/6 vs. MIL...His 2nd save of the year was a perfect 1.2 IP 9/3 vs. CIN, one of two saves over 1.0 IP...Had a streak of eight-straight games with a strikeout, April 12-29 (11 K's)...Set a season high with five wins on the year. In seven appearances from 9/3-14 earned six saves and a win...Recorded a strikeout in 49 of his 78 appearances...2011 POSTSEASON: Set Cardinals franchise record for most appearances in a postseason with 12 (tied with Octavio Dotel, MarcRzepczynski)...set Cardinals franchise record with five saves in a postseason and was a perfect 5-for-5 in those opportunities...joinedBrad Lidge (7-for-7, 2008 Phillies) as one of only two National League relief pitchers to record a perfect save percentage (5-for-5)with five or more postseason saves...pitched 9.0 consecutive scoreless innings in his first eight playoff appearances; did not allowa run in the Division Series or League Championship Series and in fact allowed just a single during the Division Series and no hitsduring the NLCS...earned a four-out save vs. Philadelphia in Division Series Game 2...struck out three in a four-out save in Game3 of the NLCS vs. Milwaukee...was on the mound in the 9th for the final out of NLCS Game 6 win, giving the Cards their 18th WorldSeries berth...recorded a save in World Series Game 1 with a perfect 9th inning...took the loss in Game 2 allowing singles to first twobatters in 9th and both scored...pitched a postseason high 2.0 IP in Game 6, allowing two-run HR to Josh Hamilton in 10th...closedout 9th inning of Game 7 of the World Series, joining Adam Wainwright, Bruce Sutter, Harry Brecheen, Ted Wilks, Bill Hallahan andGrover Cleveland Alexander as Cardinals relief pitchers to record final out of a World Series Championship.

2010

Appeared in 56 games. Missed 26 days while on the 15-day DL from 8/4-8/30 with a right shoulder sprain, making two rehab appearances in Memphis (AAA)...Did not allow a run in the 10 app. following his return from injury (9.0 IP, 8 H)...Tied his previous season highs with 54 strikeouts (9.3 K/9 IP) and four wins...Fanned at least one batter in 35 of his 56 outings, including 8 of his last 10 appearances on the year...Converted two out of three save opportunities and finished 3rd among Cardinals relievers with 13 Holds...Retired 32 consecutive batters (10.2 perfect IP) from 5/11-6/6...Ranked 17th in the National League with a 26.5 inherited runners scored pct., stranding 25 of 34 inherited runners...Was scored on in only 10 of 56 appearances, never allowing more than two runs...Made nine appearances of four outs or more with two 2.0 IP appearances...Held RH batters to a .198 BA (25-126) with 39 strikeouts...Did not allow a run in six interleague appearances (6.2 IP, 1 H, 7 K), holding opposing batters to an .053 BA (1-19)...Worked more efficient on one day (0.57 ERA/16 app.) or two days (0.79 ERA/12 app.) rest.

2009

His 69 appearances ranked 5th in the National League among rookie hurlers and were 3rd-most by a Cardinals rookie reliever (M. Perez, 77 in 1992 and T. Worrell, 74 in 1986)...Allowed one earned run in his final 12.1 innings (0.73 ERA). He was 1-0 with three walks and 16 strikeouts while limitingopponents to a .200 (9-45) batting average in his 13 outings over this span...Led the Cardinals with 20 Holds...Allowed four HR's in a 3.2-inning span from 6/8-18 after having allowed 0 in first 22.6 IP...Had seven outings over an inning in length, with a season high of 2.0 innings twice (5/30 at SF & 9/2 vs. MIL).

2008

Spent the bulk of his season at Memphis (AAA) and enjoyed a successful September call-up with the Cardinals...Went 4-3 with nine saves and a 3.24 ERA (66.2 IP / 24 ER) at Triple-A...Struck out a total of 110 batters in 66.2 innings at Memphis, 2nd on the team and T12 in the Pacific Coast League...Led PCL in games (63) and K/9 IP for relievers (14.9). Both totals led all of minor league baseball...Named Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Month for July when he was 1-0 with an 0.57 ERA (15.2 IP/1 ER), fanning 27and walking three...Went 1-1 w/6 saves & a 1.88 ERA (28.2 IP / 6 ER), walking 8 & fanning 49, in his final 27 outings at Triple-A beginning July 1...Was recalled from Memphis 9/2 and made his MLB debut 9/3 at ARI. Struck out the first batter he faced on four pitches &recorded 2 K's in 1.1 IP for his 1st career Hold...Had 16 K's in his 11.0 IP with St. Louis. He walked just three in his 12 outings as opponents hit just .139...Allowed his first run in nine apps. (8.0 IP) on 9/23 vs. ARI...the nine scoreless outings is the longest streak by a Cardinals righthandedrookie reliever by games since Curtis King had 9 to begin his career in '97 (8/1-17/97)...Earned his 1st M.L. save on 9/18 at CIN, getting the final out with 2 runners aboard in a 5-4 win...Named 8th-best prospect among Cardinals minor leaguers by Baseball America.

2007

Continued conversion from catcher to reliever and enjoyed success at both Pam Beach (A) and Springfield (AA)...pitched for Mesa Solar Sox in Arizona Fall League and went 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA (12.0 IP/4 ER) while fanning 10.

2006

Began conversion to pitcher, although he did appear in 10 games as a catcher...played for four teams (Palm Beach, Springfield, State College and Quad Cities)...made his mound debut with State College (A) and fanned 25 batters to just 4 walks in 26.1 IP.

2005

Spent the season with Palm Beach (A) appearing in 40 games, and played one game at Springfield (AA). Was a part of the Palm Beach Cardinals Florida State League Championship team...Was promoted to Springfield for the 4/24 game at Tulsa and went 1-for-3 as the catcher...Caught each of his 40 contests for Palm Beach before being placed on the disabled list on 6/29 with a right thumb fracture...Missed the remainder of the season...Averaged an assist once every 1.6 games (25 total) behind the plate and committed three errors...Has an eye-popping total of 151 assists in 171 games played as a professional catcher...Was named the best defensive catcher in the Florida State League by Baseball America.

2004

In his second year led Florida State League catchers with 62 assists and 13 passed balls while playing at Palm Beach (A)...caught all 108 games he appeared in...was rated the best defensive catcher by Baseball America and as having the "Best Tools" in the Florida State League...led FSL with 13 sac bunts...he also appeared in three games for Triple-A Memphis...was selected to play in the FSL All-Star Game.

2003

Caught just nine games at Rookie-level Johnson City before a promotion to Peoria (A)...caught all 48 games he appeared in with the Chiefs, committing four errors with five passed balls.